Our Ministry
The Atoning Sacrifice
WEDNESDAY • MARCH 31
1 John 2:2
“He [Jesus Christ] is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours
but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Both God’s justice and our justification come together in the cross of Jesus
Christ, our Savior. Judas, Caiaphas, Herod, Pilate, the angry mob—they all may
have played their part in engineering the death of Jesus. But it was God who
devised the plan—and it is the Son who carried out the plan. By the crown—by
the stripes—by the bonds—by the nails and the spear—by the darkness and the
cry that pierced it—justice is served—by Him—for us.
Forgiveness—salvation—eternal life—the words seem to come easily to us.
But the meaning of the words and what they convey come only after deep thought
and struggle with the record. Just what is the price of the forgiveness Jesus merited
for us?
Think of an angry God. Think of God’s wrath against sin—white hot—
beyond all imagination. Think of abandonment—complete and absolute abandonment.
Think of hell and its most awesome terrors. Think of Satan—dancing in triumph—
and of all his demons singing the victory songs of hell. And all of it done
around the Christ.
It is almost too much to speak of these things. The Father has offered up His
Son in the interest of justification—in the interest of His perfect justice.
Such is the love of the Father for His creation—for us—for you—for me—
that He did not spare His own Son. And the Son did not cling to His own life but
offered Himself for us.
Now you see why St. John speaks of Jesus’ death on the cross as the meeting
place of forgiveness—the atoning sacrifice—for our sin. Justice and love meet at
the cross of Christ. They meet in Christ. And there we meet God in His forgiveness.
When we seek peace for our sins of the past that return again and again to
disturb us, we need to take them to the cross—to Jesus—and there find an end to
their nagging. When we have ugly sins that shame us, we need to meet God at the
cross and there find help in breaking their hold on us. When we are afraid of
temptations that lurk in tomorrow’s darkness, we find strength in the love and
power that comes from the atoning sacrifice on the cross.
The message is not only that Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, the very Son of
God died. It is far more than that. The message is that on the cross Jesus was sacrificed
and died—for us!
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for being the atoning sacrifice for our sins, that by your
death, justice was served, God’s wrath was appeased and your righteousness is
now considered as ours. Empower us by the Holy Spirit to live thankful lives as
your redeemed and restored sons and daughters. Amen.
Rev. Clark Gies
Director of Ministry
Fairfax, South Dakota